"What Is 'The Establishment'?"

When I was asked that question a few days ago on Facebook, I was stumped.

My first thought was "How do you not know what 'The Establishment' is?" The context was, as I recall, those I refer to as "useful idiots" and their constant references to "the deep state", remarking that "The Establishment" existed far longer than any of them know.
And then, I remembered that

I was probably conversing with someone in at least one generation after my own (to whom the term was unfamiliar); and, that

practically no one in my generation (even those who "protested it" in the '60's) knows what I know1 about "The Establishment".

But for purposes of answering the question, as posed, I'd be surprised if anyone disagreed that (at least) the upper echelons of "federal law enforcement" and "the intelligence agencies" consp… co-operated in a plan that evolved from

using "secret warrants" issued by a "secret court"2 to infiltrate a presidential campaign; into

years of "investigations" of peripheral campaign officials;

"convictions" having nothing to do with the underlying "investigation"; and,

months of hysterical posturing - and a failed attempt at impeachment - for no discernibly impeachable offense,

all on the basis of what have now been shown to be a false narrative that "justice department" attorneys swore under oath was true. ALL to sabotage a presidential campaign; and then an elected President.

"Facts Trump Theories"

Events over the last 4 years confirmed what many Americans have long suspected: there is most certainly a group - a clique - a cabal (insert label of choice) that "runs things" out of sight, i.e., "behind the scenes".

Events over the past 1 year confirm that (at least) those upper echelons of "federal law enforcement" and "the intelligence agencies" worked together in an attempt to accomplish #1 through #3 in the list above, and that individuals in one or both of them "worked together" with others inside and outside "federal law enforcement" and "the intelligence agencies" to accomplish #4.

Some members of the the group - clique - cabal (label of choice) are elected officials, but most aren't; more than a few aren't even "in government". The (now proven false) narrative that has been incessantly repeated by a print, broadcast, and digital media complex establishes that it, too, is an important player in the group - clique - cabal (label of choice),3 demonstrating their hope that NAZI Propaganda Minister Goebbels' theory4 works, through story after story, exposé after exposé.

CLEARLY, "deep state" is a supremely inadequate label for an organization(?) much, much older and larger.

And we haven't event gotten to "the good part". That will take awhile.

"A rose, by any other
name…"

"The Establishment" has been known by many names…

…over a timeline of centuries.

In the next post, I'll provide a quick rundown of AmericanHistory over the past century and a score years. (As you'll surmise, American History, on this subject, alone, starts long before that, and tracking the entire(?) history is a task unsuited to a blog post).
Meanwhile, would it surprise you to learn that the first CIA Director was a Wall Street lawyer?3

There's SO much more. Be prepared.

1
The only reason I know what I know is that I've learned on a path I took some 27 years ago (researching law) that led me to researching history; arcane history, and commentary on it, at that.
It's not like school was teaching actual history, even in the '60s. They teach less and less each year.

2"Legal" - in the sense that Congress passed the FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE ACT to "protect us" from "federal law enforcement" and "the intelligence agencies" (primarily, the FBI and CIA) conducting warrantless surveillance, searches and more (already illegal) against Americans.
Triggered by Watergate, the Church Committee (named for Representative Frank Church) was one of the Congressional Committees, among others, that looked into decades of criminal activity committed by "federal law enforcement" and "the intelligence agencies". From 1978 on, the government would be required to get a warrant from what is, essentially, a modern day "Star Chamber" (do your own research).